It’s been a minute since we last touched each other, but better late than not at all with what’s really going down.

Both the Clippers front office and Elton Brand cannot be telling the truth about what really transpired that resulted in Brand leaving the Clips for the Sixers, instead of rejoining the team to play along side Baron Davis.

Most of the media is taking the side of Brand because he has always demonstrated a level of character that is above the norm.

Brand said during his Philly presser that he wanted to stay with the Clips and that was his plan all along.

His agent David Falk claimed that the Clips gave Brand a take it or leave it offer which he felt was disrespectful.

Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy says that he has proof of consistent text messages from Brand urging the team to sign a player such as Davis and also backed up his assertion with a contract that Brand has allegedly agreed to.

In the end the Clippers lost Brand, but got Davis and is in the hunt for a power forward that can fill the void of Brand.

I think there is much truth to what both parties are saying. Brand probably did want to resign with the Clippers and undoubtedly encouraged the Clips to sign Davis.

Then he got a sweetheart of an offer from the Warriors and a solid deal from the upstart Sixers that complicated the process.

Brand is from New York, so since this is probably his final NBA contract, he would more than likely be able to finish his career close to home.

Davis, on the other hand, gambled and opted out of the final year of a Warriors contract that would have brought him $17 million for one season, but instead parlayed it into a five-year $65 million deal to return home himself.

It turned out to be a good deal for both teams. I don’t think the Clippers could have afforded to not sign Davis regardless of what the Brand outcome was going to be.

Dunleavy is in Las Vegas this week watching the Clippers’ rookies in the LV Summer League.

I am sure that he was quite pleased with what he saw from No. 7 pick Eric Gordon, who right now looks like the best bargain of the lottery.

No. 1 pick Derrick Rose is injured, No. 2 pick Michael Beasley is adjusting, and OJ Mayo was last seen getting the ball stolen from him by a D-League all star who converted it for a dunk.

Gordon has been smooth, powerful and fluid which means he probably going to be traded to help the Clips land the power forward they desire.

One reason they can afford to get rid of Gordon who will be a fantastic pro is because of the play of Michael Taylor who could be just as effective as Gordon.

While Davis and Brand are obviously set for the rest of their lives, I could not help but notice that Tiger Woods is on trek to become the first athlete to bank a billion dollars.

Therefore it is not surprising that Woods was rated as the best tipper by an upscale South Florida seafood restraunt.

Waiters at the eatery told me that Woods and Michael Jordan are the most generous. The trendy spot also house Jordan’s cigars and personal wine. When Jordan’s wine was out of stock, the former NBA great paid a waiter $1000 to go out and restock for him.

Kobe Bryant was rated as a modest tipper and Shaquille O’Neal was rated as the worst and most arrogant of all of them.

Wonder how Davon Jefferson feels now after leaving USC and not being drafted at all. He can’t seem to get off the bench of the Lakers LV Summer League team.. Other players you might recognize from the Southern California circuit are Cedric Bozeman and Lorenzo Mata-Real, both a former UCLA stars. Mata-Real has no shot of making the team and looked clumsy and very green during a game last week. Bozeman played fair, but was reluctant to take a shot. There’s only one spot on the Lakers team and that is at back-up guard and it is Coby Karl’s job to lose..